Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - Department of Philosophy - Philosophy, Science and the Sciences

Gonzalo Gamarra Jordan

Gonzalo Gamarra JordanThesis: The γών between Aristotle and Syrianus on Plato’s Ideas

I am a PhD candidate in Philosophy at Humboldt University, Berlin, funded by the DFG through the “Research Training Group: Philosophy, Science and the Sciences.” My research focuses on the relationship between mathematics and philosophy, particularly in Aristotle’s Metaphysics M & N and Syrianus’ commentary on these books. In M & N Aristotle presents a series of criticisms to important Platonic ideas such as the forms, the intermediate ontological status of mathematical objects, and form-numbers as principle of things. It was not until the 5th century CE that someone came forward to explicitly challenge Aristotle’s criticisms and present a defense of Platonism. This was done by Syrianus in the form of a commentary. My dissertation is concerned with elucidating this specific dialogue and the arguments therein presented. I am writing under the supervision of Jonathan Beere and Christoph Helmig.

Outside of ancient philosophy, I have a strong academic interest in Philosophy of Mathematics (esp., Leibniz, Berkeley, Husserl, and Wittgenstein), Kierkegaard, and Ancient Chinese Political Philosophy. I also enjoy reading Pascal, Rousseau, Machiavelli, and Ibn Arabi. From the East, I have been captivated by the Upanishads, the Majjhima Nikaya, the Zhuangzi, the Vimalakirti Sutra, and the Yoga Vasistha.

I grew up in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. Then, I moved to the USA to study the ‘Great Books’ at St. John’s College, where I obtained a bachelor in Liberal Arts and a master in Eastern Classics before moving to Berlin as a pre-doctoral fellow in Philosophy.

Résumé

Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

2016 – present

Ph.D. candidate in Philosophy; Research Training Group: Philosophy, Science and the Sciences; Thesis: The γών between Aristotle and Syrianus on Platos Ideas

2015 – 2016

Pre-Doctoral Fellow in Philosophy; Research Training Group: Philosophy, Science and the Sciences; Thesis: Theaetetus’ Mathematical Story in relation to Socrates’ Dream

St. John’s College, NM

2014 – 2015

M.A. in Eastern Classics; Thesis: Imagination’s Decisive Role in becoming Virtuous according to Mencius

Howard and Edna Hong Kierkegaard Library

2014

Kierkegaard Young Scholar working under the supervision of Gordon Marino

Rome Institute of Liberal Arts

2012

Summer Program Student

St. John’s College, NM

2010 – 2014

B.A. in Liberal Arts; Thesis: What a piece of work is a Man! An Inquiry into Man’s Potential to Know

Awards, Fellowships, Grants and Scholarships

2016 – present

Doctoral Fellowship by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

2015 – 2016

Pre-Doctoral Fellowship by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

2014 – 2015

Graduate Institute Scholarship

2014

Dean’s Award 2014 to the member of the Senior Class who has excelled in service to the community

2010 – 2014

St. John’s College Grant

2013

Ariel Fellowship

 

Apprenticeship in Creative Writing with Bolivian author Homero Carvalho Oliva

2012

Ahmanson Scholarship

 

RILA Program

Contact: gonzalo.gamarra.jordan@gmail.com